Slonaker has repeatedly defied a County zoning ordinance prohibiting commercial flags (an ordinance that has been in place since 1969) by hoisting an Arby's flag in front of his restaurant, along with signs for another business he owns. In 2003, Slonaker even hosted a "rally around the flag" event by handing out little Arby's flags for people to put on their cars, and portraying the situation as a property rights issue.

Later, he claimed the sign ordinance was enforced unevenly against businesses along 29 North, and he filed a civil suit against the county with the help of the Rutherford Institute, which argued that Slonaker's First Amendment rights were being trampled on.

Meanwhile, Slonaker has also been having issues with Arby's corporate rules, which have not allowed him to

Slonaker has been fighting County rules since 2003.FILE PHOTO BY JEN FARIELLO

add his own menu items. Specifically, he's wanted to add soft-serve ice cream and "pressure cooked chicken," which he describes as "fried chicken without all the grease."

"People rave about it," he says. "We've invested quite alot in the equipment."

Shortly before the November 2 election, Slonaker covered up his Arby's sign.PHOTO BY DAVE MCNAIR

So, after 11 years as an Arby's franchise, Slonaker says he cut ties with the company and has yanked the Arby's logos off the side of the building. Indeed, almost overnight, the restaurant looked like a polling place around the time of Election Day. Slonaker had covered the roadside Arby's signs with white banners encouraging people to vote, put up American flags everywhere, and renamed the restaurant A Patriot's Place.

"This country, this town is so divided," says Slonaker in a distinctive radio announcer's voice. "I hope this new concept conveys to people that we have to come together to fix the problems of this country."

Slonaker says he hopes people can come to Patriot's Place to eat good American food and learn about the words and the ideals of the founding fathers. He's calling it a "revolutionary" experience.

"I've known Tom since he was a little boy," says Slonaker. "And I knew his father, Dr. Vito Perriello. I have a lot of admiration for him."

Slonaker points to the Perriello town hall meeting as the kind of thing he hopes A Patriot's Place will help promote, in which opposing groups can come together to work out their differences.

However, the success of the concept may also depend on the economy, which Slonaker admits has been rough on the business. Development and allegedly overburdensome county regulations haven't helped either, he says.

As Slonaker mentions, his Arby's was unique in that part of town a decade ago, but it had become just one of many fast food restaurants in the area.

"If I'm going to lose money," he says, "I might as well do it on my own terms."

53 comments

Can I still get that delicious and healthy Arby's food at the A Patriot's Place?

nicknameoscar November 9th, 2010 | 8:24pm

I never gave that Arby's any business because they never seemed to be open when I wanted to get something.

I do admire Mr. Slonaker for wanting to bring people together to try and solve our problems. I hope that is contagious. Maybe I will give 'A Patriots Place' a try.

Just sayin November 9th, 2010 | 9:31pm

Tom Slonaker is my new hero. I am going to A Patriots Place next to,e I am in Cville. Thank GOd for people like him!

angel eyes November 10th, 2010 | 10:19am

Col. Forbin;
Were you born a tool or were you trained up to be one?
Seriously though, "rules are rules" as a statement is of a piece with "it is what it is" and is a classic tautology. There is a plethora of arbitary, capricious, and unreasonable rules extant in this society. Passive acceptance is a guaranty they'll remain in place and be supplemented by more of the same. Pushback against rules which have tenuous, at best, connections to any true public good is our duty if we wish to be a people with any prospects for individual self determination.

Johnny America November 10th, 2010 | 12:01pm

Tom just follow the rules. Nut case!

One Term Bobby November 10th, 2010 | 2:30pm

It's funny how, now that the tea-baggers got their boy in office, we're all supposed to come together and hold hands and sing kumbaya.

confused easily November 10th, 2010 | 2:16pm

I predict he'll be out of business in six months. You can't make money off the Tea Party crowd with their senior discounts and insistence on using coupons for every meal.

One Term Bobby November 10th, 2010 | 2:25pm

Angel,

Who is being a tool here?

Tom Slonaker's problem is that he behaves as if EVERY rule he encounters is "arbitary, capricious, and unreasonable." That just ain't the case.

deem November 10th, 2010 | 2:33pm

this man sells slop produced by agribusiness and calls it food
wow
what a hero and patriot

Music Lover November 10th, 2010 | 2:38pm

...and thus begins the ultimate demise of the restaurant formerly known as Arby's of Forest Lakes. I imagine Mr. Slonaker discounts the business he derived from the Arby's brand. And a previous commenter is right - the far-right/tea baggers have co-opted the word "Patriot" and using that will DEFINITELY turn away a huge percentage of the potential clientele. But Slonaker has been turning people off for years, so now he'll be turning off Democrats and Independents as well as people who find his very public stances annoying.

I wonder what it'll become next? Too small to become an Antique Mall, I suppose.

Gasbag Self Ordained Expert November 10th, 2010 | 6:15pm

I would like to see Lowes become an antique mall.

Can't we get a Home Depot in Charlottesville? Or is politics still involved heavily in that too?

Harostar November 10th, 2010 | 10:08pm

Thanks so much for clearing up what exactly happened. I'd been wondering what had happened, since it was clearly not an Arby's anymore.

However, I'm not terribly impressed with the man. As a resident of Forest Lakes, I've encountered and heard so many negative stories about him. As other posters have already pointed out, he seems to be the type of person that believes rules shouldn't apply to HIM. He complains constantly about how his rights are supposedly being violated. And yet, he has absolutely NO respect for other people's rights. Notice that he refuses to move his vehicles out of the Food Lion parking lot, blocking visibly in that corner while ignoring that it is NOT his property? He's got his own parking lot, but seems to think it's better to use what belongs to others.

jburke4 December 27th, 2010 | 1:02pm

Freedom of speech protects all speech including those of libertarians in liberal communities. This gentleman is only doing what he believes to be right... and his buffalo chicken wrap is awesome.

Gasbag Self Ordained Expert November 11th, 2010 | 7:51am

I still wonder why people become "residents of Forest Lakes", and then whine about the business district a stone throw away from their back door. Can you explain this phenomenon to us please, Harostar?

And if we go back to the beginning of the local Slonaker Adventures, the nerve of that man placing signs advertising his specials meals and deals in the windows of his business. Didn't he realize or care that this was going to make Forest Lakes look like a ghetto?

By the way, has the county forced nTelos to remove their armored car out front advertsing their business yet? What a clever way to get around the sign ordinances in Albemarle County! HAHAHA! In other words, Slonaker has been singled out for harassment, IMHO.

cookieJar November 11th, 2010 | 3:12pm

I suspect Conservative was "educated" in a christian "school." I went to some pretty awful public schools, but the kids who transferred in from former segregation academies always struggled to catch up when they arrived. No surprise they are struggling still.

Re: the statement "Slonaker is a patriot, perrello is a communist." It is quite possible to be both a patriot and a communist, so without speaking to both attributes of both Mr. Slonaker and Mr. Perriello, the attempted comparison is meaningless. That's ignoring the fact that M. Perriello has nothing to do with local sign ordinances, but lets just take things slowly for the differently abled among us.

Branding political opponents as "Communists" or "Marxists," etc. is kind of cute in a childlike way, but rather than damaging the reputation of the one branded with that attempted slur, it in most cases merely reveals the phenomenal ignorance of the accuser. Wikipedia is a poor source of in depth information, but even a cursory scan of that poor source would do wonders for those who mistakenly see any politician whose name is known to them as a communist or "far-leftist."

Yes, there are communists, anarchists, or what-have-you of any radical political persuasion among us, but the two party system we have does not often put anything but the most middle of the road among them in any sort of position where they may be elected or even run for office under a major party banner. The more radical that do make it tend to be those like David Duke or Ralph Reed whose right wing radicalism has perhaps shifted the apparent center for those who know little of what exists of the whole range of political beliefs in this country.

Back to the matter at hand. I don't want any more of the ugliness of NOVA or Fredericksburg even infecting the county, but I'm not seeing the harm in putting banners in a window to advertise a special. Reasonable does not seem to be in the vocabulary of a lot of our local code enforcement officials.

Scrambling Ambler November 11th, 2010 | 11:59am

@Bud: If the County stopped enforcing sign ordinances, you would quickly learn why they are necessary.

@Gasbag: Somebody somewhere must've just won a bet - another Hook thread has devolved into you crying about how The Man has tried to screw you or your family.

Red cars draw more speeding tickets than other cars. But you'd better not cry about harrassment in front of the judge if you get ticketed in your red car. Much better to drive the speed limit - ESPECIALLY if you're in a little red sports car.

Likewise your dad dodging property taxes in the manner that you describe is no different than a business owner getting around a sign ordinance by LEGALLY parking a highly visible vehicle in front of his or her store. Perhaps you'd prefer to see the sign ordinances amended to ban that as well?

dan1101 November 11th, 2010 | 11:44am

He's a rebel cause he never ever does what he should!

I can see the appeal of Franchises; you have an established name to start your business with and a proven menu and business model. But franchise agreements tend to get more complicated, restrictive, and expensive as time goes on.

meanwhile.... November 11th, 2010 | 11:37am

whatever happened to gasbag's father (as if that has anything to do with this story), let's not kid ourselves about this guy. The article states that it is not just county ordinances that he has trouble following, but also Arby's corporate rules.

So while this guy can pretend to be Braveheart crying "FREEEEEDOMMM!!!!!" right before the axe falls, to everyone else he seems like a whining malcontent.

Bill Dawson November 11th, 2010 | 9:36am

deleted by moderator

Scrambling Ambler November 11th, 2010 | 9:53am

You have a bad habit of putting words into people's mouths, Gas-hole. Nobody whining here except you (on Slonaker's behalf).

FYI, advertising on vehicles is allowed, and I'm pretty sure the nTelos van is on their own property. I think Harostar's point was that Slonaker should park his vans on his own lot.

Maybe you should stick to ragging on "Cop Shops."

fuzzy wuzzy November 11th, 2010 | 10:15am

You ever think that maybe Food Lion allows him to park his vehicles in their lot? Or maybe they just don't care? After all, it's an awful big lot. It's funny, Albemarle County wants all the perks of trying to be like Northern Virginia, but none of the stuff that comes with them.

fuzzy wuzzy November 11th, 2010 | 10:18am

Scrambling, I'm pretty sure his flagpole and building windows were on his property, yet the county still bullied him into removing them.

Gasbag Self Ordained Expert November 11th, 2010 | 10:39am

Mr/Mrs/Miss Scrambling Ambler, which would you rather see out there, a big old ugly armored truck right at the edge of the traveled roadway, or a sign in Slonaker's window saying "5 Roast Beef for $5.00"?

I don't object to the armored truck being parked there, I object to it being used as nothing more than a real big sign.

Does Albemarle County single out people to harass? They sure do. Out of all the county residents who were doing the same thing my father did, Albemarle County singled out my father around 1979 or 1980 and charged him with tax evasive. He used to buy new cars and trucks every year when he was living. He would sell his cars and trucks the last in week in December, and purchase his new cars and trucks the first week in January. Therefore, he never had to pay personal property taxes on motor vehicles. While I do not recall thejudge's exact words right now, he basically told Albemarle County to never bring a case this silly and unfounded into his courtroom again! The judge obviously dismissed the case against my father. And he made Albemarle County pay all my father's attorney fees and damages.

Bud November 11th, 2010 | 10:36am

Speed limits are for safety, right?. Who has ever been harmed by a giant sticker in the window of an Arby's? It's not like the place had burned out cars in the parking lot and appliances strewn in the grass.

It just seems to me that the government should have better things to do than complain about signage in restaurant windows. And if they don't have better things to do, it's a clear example that what we need is less government.

Scrambling Ambler November 11th, 2010 | 10:31am

Wuzzy, the county "bullied him" into complying with the relevant ordinances in the same way that I was "bullied" into driving the speed limit on my way to work this morning. Please.

Conservative November 11th, 2010 | 12:37pm

Slonaker is a patriot, perrello is a communist.

Sango November 11th, 2010 | 1:35pm

I went there and had the "Ben Franklin." It's a pretty tasty sandwich. Turkey's real (and thick), bread's good, not too heavy on the mayo, awesome bacon. Came with waffle fries.

I'd return.

puzzled patriot November 12th, 2010 | 10:28am

Why is it so easy for someone who refused to comply with local laws that apply to us all, and who willfully violated his contract with the company that supplied him his business, to wrap himself in the flag of patriotism and get free promo puff press pieces in all the local papers? Isn't this a country in which we are governed by the rule-of-law, rather than the cult-of-personality? If I wanted to live in a place where those who thumb their noses at civil law are treated as heroes, I'd move to Iran. This guy is no kind of "good American" -- he's just a scofflaw and a cheat.

Bill Dawson November 12th, 2010 | 1:38am

deleted by moderator

Old Timer December 27th, 2010 | 1:24pm

jburke4,

Yes, and freedom of speech protects the rights of commies and liberals in right wing communities, or does it?

Sloanaker isn't a libertarian. he's a businessman who thinks that he should do what he wants, when he wants, as he wants. He's a libertine. Big difference.

He's as much a hypocrite as the Tea Partiers who scream about smaller government while they roll around in their medicare provided wheelchair, pay their bills with their Vet benefits, and collect their social security.

JJ Malloy November 12th, 2010 | 1:24pm

When you run an Arbys franchise you are subject to your contract with Arby...which includes no added menu items.

--edited by moderator

Bill Dawson November 12th, 2010 | 6:37pm

ya, keep deleting me moderator. we have a U.S. Attorney taking the fraud case on Tom Slonaker. just getting our ducks in a row. but just keep deleting justice you unpatriotic moderator. time will soon reveal the truth.

But of course.. November 14th, 2010 | 12:04pm

I went and had the terd-blossom fritatta, freedom fries and the "W" (all you can eat) Sunday. I am righteously full!

Minkey November 15th, 2010 | 8:40am

About "W": "We struggle to recover from the thoughtless carnage of his tenure."

I stopped in for lunch yesterday. There were flags and small signs everywhere! (Small signs out front near the road advertising all his menu selections.) He's definitely making some sort of statement to the selective enforcement officials in Albemarle County. And By God, I say more power to him!

angel eyes November 16th, 2010 | 8:39am

So then, GBSOE, your pop was the reason why they do those taxes pro-rata now!!

Gasbag Self Ordained Expert November 16th, 2010 | 9:17am

Not really. There were thousands of people doing the exact same thing. Out of all these people, I have no idea how Albemarle singled out my father for the "test case".

I think Albemarle had to then start pro-rating taxes so they could come up with some cash to pay my father's attorney bills and damages. :)

Jeff D November 9th, 2010 | 2:21pm

The local government does everything in it's power--and beyond--to ensure that this is the dullest and ugliest community possible.

Business-wise: the hostility towards anyone who attempts to run a business at all is unfathomable.

Those Arbys in Short Pump seem much different and have different items than I've seen in other Arbys, wonder how they get away with it?

Artnesten November 9th, 2010 | 5:40pm

cookieJar, I laughed.

ontheroad November 9th, 2010 | 6:57pm

Good to see someone fight the rules, change doesn't happen without a change maker.

Jivin America November 9th, 2010 | 11:54pm

I hear that mr Slonaker is making "the restaurant formerly known as Arby's" a drive-in voting place. Sounds cool' like "American Graffiti" for angry non readers.

Bud November 10th, 2010 | 8:02am

First off, thanks to the Hook for telling us what's going on. I've been wondering for a while what was up with the Arby's.

Secondly, I'm all for libertarian values. But come one. Can't we go have lunch without politics involved? It's on the news 24/7. You can't get away from campaign signs. And we have elections practically every year. Can't I just enjoy my roast beef?

nicknameoscar November 10th, 2010 | 8:21am

@Bud

The more people that participate in politics the more likely the politicians will listen to the people instead of their big money contributors. All the money in the world can't get them elected if a majority of people voice their will - at least that is my opinion.

dawg November 10th, 2010 | 9:54am

Thanks to the tea party and the right wing, the word "Patriot" has become associated with far-right politics. I think moderates and lefties, even if they enjoy a good political debate, will steer clear from his place.

Just Passing Through January 6th, 2011 | 4:22pm

Selective enforcement? Perhaps. From what little I've read it seems to me what happened was that Sloanaker was warned that if he didn't fix his signs, park his ad vehicles in actual lined and legal parking spaces, get the proper permits, and whatever, he would be cited. He didn't fix his signs, so they came out to cite him... and since they had to do that anyway, they cited him for everything, the big and the small. After all, if the county is going to get into a legal fight, they may as well get it all out of the way at once, right? If other business owners are less argumentative and respond to warnings about highly visible violations in a timely way, the county probably doesn't waste the time and effort hassling them over the little stuff. So is that the same thing as selective enforcement?